CityNews 191219

OH, WHAT A YEAR!

• Arts editor HELEN MUSA’s top events

• Dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON’s top eats

• Columnist MIKE WELSH’s 365 days of Canberra

• AND a humongous, holiday JUMBO CROSSWORD (and solution!)

GOOD DAY, SUNSHINE

DANIELLE NOHRA reports on the good, the bad and the ugly sides of our solar dependence

Annette loves living her life in knots

While the art of knot tying began as a necessity in ancient history,

knots

and its centrepiece is

IF you’re a mere mortal like me, tying knots is anything but thrilling. Try ing to secure a load on a trailer; fixing kids’ laces; battling to braid hair or fastening a bow tie: dull stuff like that requires attention, accuracy and fine motor skills.

And creativity? Never have I per ceived knots to be therapeutic, calm ing or creative.

While the art of knot tying began as a necessity in ancient history, today’s knots have taken on new meanings. There’s a DIY movement and its cen trepiece – macramé.

Re-emerging after having a moment in the ‘70s, today’s macramé jumps on the back of the minimalist and mindfulness movement. It’s inescapable on Instagram and successful businesses are being built on the craft.

The resurgence of macramé may make some people want to fashion themselves a noose, but the craft world, high on nostalgia, is busy reinventing kooky, hand-knotted owls and groovy plant hangers once found in hippie pads.

Annette Boyd, 65, is a Canberra artist, maker and macramé teacher.

the knot – and the art of tying it – and made it into a language of her own. At her macramé workshops, she teaches her students about the tactile satisfaction of tying knots.

“It’s all about slowing down,” she said. “We are way too busy these days.

“The simple act of knot tying calms you, it grounds you, it makes you forget everything.

“It’s an old yet powerful craft.”

In today’s increasingly virtual world, Boyd says there’s something alluring about making things by hand, using old techniques.

“I was 16 when I learnt macramé, the year was 1972 and I was living in

“I never go anywhere without my ball of string, I craft everywhere and at every opportunity.

“Macramé has had a huge revival, especially in Canberra.

“There are four or five young women I’ve taught how to macramé who have gone on to run successful businesses.”

For Boyd, art is more than business, it’s therapy.

“Tying knots is calming, it slows the heart and metabolism down and relieves stress,” she said.

“It’s a spatial skill and can help people with illnesses like Parkinson’s, as it’s good for dexterity and the nervous system.

“And I always tell my young mums who attend my workshops that here you can create something that no one can eat,” she chuckles.

“It’s a pleasure and a privilege to pass down my knowledge and skills.”

As new technologies streamline our lives, some traditional crafts are drop ping by the wayside. As the number of people who use the old-school method of knotting dwindles, there are those who are working to ensure these dying skills don’t unravel.

Expert knot tyer Neville Tomkins began his scouting career more than a quarter of a century ago. Tomkins currently serves as Chief Commissioner of Scouts Australia (NSW Branch) after a long stint as Chief Commissioner of the ACT Branch.

Tomkins has served with generations of young people, teaching them skills necessary for life.

“And it all starts with learning to tie a humble knot,” he said.

“Some would regard knot tying as an outdated skill yet it amazes me how often my children use the knots and knowledge they learnt at scouts in their adult lives.”

In the internet age where people can share their skills at the touch of a button, Tomkins hopes the art of knot tying and other traditional crafts stand the test of time.

As they say, follow the rope and you may end up somewhere unexpected.

NYE bill

POP artist Asta, pictured, is headlining the free New Year’s Eve concert in Civic.

Children’s entertainment group, The Beanies, will kick off the celebrations at 6.30pm in Civic Square, followed by local talent MAXO, Rhythm & Girl, Baker Boys Band and, leading the concert will be Triple J’s 2012 “Unearthed” winner, Asta.

During the celebration, which ends just before 1am on January 1, there will be a range of food from local vendors.

There will be two fireworks displays, one at 9pm and another at midnight. The event will be alcohol, drone and glass-free.

More at events.act.gov.au/NYE

You must remember this… our year together

“Seven Days” columnist MIKE WELSH reflects on his highlights of a year of life and news in Canberra.

LIGHT RAIL eventually rolled at Easter with near misses involving dopey pedestrians and motorists dominating headlines since.

MLA Shane Rattenbury jumped aboard the “I’ve taken Ecstasy Too” bandwagon amid pill testing debates, while Labor minister Meegan Fitzharris opted “to spend more time with family”. Liberal leader Alistair Coe disingenuously confessed to “needing a miracle” to win the next election, but a more politically astute Andrew Barr snagged underdog status.

ACROSS the border, NSW Nationals boss John Barilaro punched way above his weight telling former party boss Barnaby Joyce to “shut his mouth”. Still on the putting-a-sock-in-it department... tennis great John Newcombe told Nick Kyrgios to “zip it” after the young champ’s big mouth again brought him

BOLLARDS at Hawker

shops may soften the precinct’s reputation as a crime hotspot. Olive restaurant was firebombed, Woolworths was targeted by ram raiders, and a similar method was employed to enter the new discount pharmacy.

BURNT-out stolen vehicles littered our roadsides. One stolen car that avoided a fiery end had 3000 kilometres added to the clock and $1850 in fines accrued when found seven days later.

BOB Hawke’s death in May brought

many tales including one from 1957 when he was one of “five naked students who in very high spirits, swam in University House’s ornamental goldfish pond” at ANU.

SYDNEY journalist Eddy Jokovich reneged on a vow to “walk nude from Sydney to Canberra balancing a pumpkin on my head” if ScoMo won May’s federal election.

MANUKA Oval’s renovations drew poetic praise from cricket writers with one evoking an idyllic village green: “There can’t be too many venues where you hear batsmen call and church bells on a Sunday”. The venue was again the focus of attention when snow fell on a Friday night AFL match. And across the road a troublesome London plane tree was finally

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Our aim is to provide a caring, safe, home-like atmosphere, reflecting your rights to dignity, respect, privacy, safety and the best quality of life.

Contact our friendly staff today to arrange a personal tour.

felled after a long battle by locals to save it.

A MODIFIED Fight Club complete with betting was uncovered at one of our more exclusive boys schools before being discreetly closed down.

THE Caps’ broke an eight-year premiership drought, but our adopted AFL outfit the GWS Giants suffered a humiliating Grand Final loss. The Brumbies pushed deep into the international rugby finals and, as for the boys from Bruce, it may still be too soon to discuss the “theft” that allegedly occurred at ANZ Stadium in Oct.

OUR local radio scene was tipped on its head after 2CC opted to network its breakfast program from Sydney, punting Tim Shaw for Alan Jones. And after three years of rising early Dan Bourchier pulled the pin at the ABC’s Triple 6.

DELIVERY drones buzzed around despite a threatened “attack”. An anonymous biblical command posted at Crace warned: “Cease the flying of your wicked, ungodly abomination lest the Lord smite them and bring punishment upon you.”

SEVENTY-seven-year-old Adrienne Carpenter walked from Collector to Parliament House to protest the treatment of local barrister Bernard Collaery, but there was no-one to greet her.

NO such snub for movie heavyweights

Hugo Weaving, Rhys Muldoon and Gillian Armstrong who dropped by to lobby for more local content. Pollies of all hues scrambled for selfies.

OPENING doors in the capital took on new meaning after a visiting Victorian MP attempted to kick down a Barton hotel door to get his luggage.

CONSTRUCTION giant Geocon’s sexist promotional signage attracted the wrath of feminists. But a sign, waved by four female students in full uniform of a local christian school, presented an unambiguous take on climate change at a rally in Glebe Park.

WHAT two globetrotting Canberra Catholic nuns thought of the protestants’ placard is unknown. Sister Judy Bowe and Sister Therese Mills were far too busy being reality TV stars on “The Amazing Race”.

“SEVEN Days” Doggo of the Year is this helpful hound, snapped aiding his human

Cut the should and stop shaming

I’VE had enough of the shaming of mothers that seems to be ever prevalent and pervasive.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have been shamed in public, usually by strangers, usually thinly veiled by a “wellmeaning” tone.

If the majority of primary caring fell to men, shaming would not exist.

From people “letting me know” that my baby wasn’t clothed warmly enough (he had just pulled off his hat!), to critical overtures regarding childcare choices, breastfeeding, sleeping and crying on various forms of transport, the shaming of mums just doesn’t stop.

The day my daughter was born, when I was transferred to the maternity ward from the birthing suite with my newborn baby, the mental

The pervasive stereotype that a woman must sacrifice every waking moment of her life to her children is still so strong, and any other activity that she might be doing that deviates from primary caring is met with a side of shame and guilt.

my son had not yet been collected from daycare. It was along the lines of: “They’ll be turning out the lights at the daycare centre by now…”

He was in fact, perfectly safe, the centre was open for at least another hour and my mum was just about to collect him after meeting her granddaughter. Just what a new mum needs, more stress and shame piled on her that she had neglected her son the day she had just given birth to his little sister. I should have received a medal for giving birth within daycare operating hours!

I caught up with a friend last week who reflected on her choices as a new mum.

“I decided I would be a terrible mother and go back to work,” she said.

She told me that she realised after her son was born that a lot of her identity comes from her work, and that she missed working. She said that the level of shaming she received for going back to work after “only” four months was intense and the only way that she could cope with it was by accepting that she was a “bad” mum and owning that title.

It’s certainly not fair, nor is it healthy for a person to have to embrace a negative stereotype in order to be able to accept their own choices for their family.

Turns out, my friend is nothing close to being a terrible mum and has figured out a way to be a great working mother. The pervasive stereotype that a woman must sacrifice every waking moment of her life to her children is still so strong, and any other activity that she might be doing that deviates from primary caring is met with a side of shame and guilt.

And yet, we mums can never quite get it right, can we? So we never seem to avoid the tide of opinions that are thrown our way. Yes, I am thinking of you, Michael Leunig.

That tide of opinion and shame can take a devastating toll on new mums, who are vulnerable, emotional (gasp!) and at times really struggling.

I saw it first hand when another of my friends was admitted to hospital with severe postnatal depression. She tells me her psychologist taught her and other mothers during a group session that what was important for their recovery was to eliminate the word “should” from their life. For these women, the word should ruled their depression:

“My baby should be sleeping through the night by now”

“I should be enjoying this experience more”

“I should lose the baby weight”

“I should be able to breastfeed”

“My kids should eat broccoli” How many mothers can relate to one or more of these statements? “Should-ing” and “shaming” go hand in hand to create the impossible standards that means that mums can’t catch a break.

The only thing we should be is kind.

MY SUMMER

This summer, ACT 2019 Young Lawyer of the Year, Farzana Choudhury, plans to...

• Go camping on the south coast with friends.

• As a proud member of the smashed-avo generation, I look forward to checking out local summer brunch menus.

• “Serenade” my neighbours with my trumpet practice.

• Have a picnic and go animal spotting at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

• I was recently awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate poverty-based discrimination law frameworks in Europe, NZ, the US and Canada. In between poached eggs and exploring nature I’ll be doing preliminary research and planning for the big trip.

“CityNews” gardening columnist Cedric Bryant won’t be doing too much gardening in the heat of the summer, instead he’ll be…

• Watering in the cool of the evening with a cold chardonnay in his hand.

• I plan to sit down, relax and enjoy a good book. I only read biographies, enjoying the life adventures of real and successful people.

• I’m going to plan all the projects for the year, usually called New Year’s resolutions. Of course, most of these will be broken in the first few weeks but it’s always worth a try. I’ll be catching up with friends and family, including my cousins who are visiting from the UK.

And, after seeing research that shows dark chocolate lowers the risk of depression by 400 per cent, I’ll be enjoying lots of dark chocolate!

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Residents’ screams lost against noisy drones

ONE of the pleasurable experiences of where I live is to sit around the garden, usually in the morning or evening is best, and to take in the cacophony of suburban bird sounds.

All those amazing sounds of magpies, currawongs, honey eaters, crimson parrots, eastern parrots, pigeons, the occasional king parrot, the fly past of white cockatoos and underneath all that the sounds of smaller birds as they hop around in the thicker bushes.

There are also the background sounds of traffic, neighbours chatting, playing children and the occasional mower and stuff. It makes for the pleasure of living in Canberra. There are sensible noise regulations for suburban areas with restrictions on noise such as when garbage trucks start and when to tone down that party. What could possibly wreck this?

Drones delivered to your neighbourhood courtesy of the ACT Labor/ Greens coalition!

Delivery drones are a serious intrusion into suburban ambience, suburban character and an attack on those things we cherish such as the bird life of Canberra. All done with the blessing of Andrew Barr.

As has been reported here in Canberra and overseas, the curse of these delivery drones screaming up and down the streets is that the birds go into retreat. The magpies may attack the drones – but they know life is easier just to back off in the hope that it is a temporary intrusion.

Who in this government keeps agreeing to silly and invasive ideas?

The company line is that people can volunteer for these services – having snacks and coffee delivered by a drone.

As for everyone else? They must be old school and should get with the times.

The reality is that once anyone signs up, all neighbours share the noise as the drones enter and depart.

We are talking really annoying high-pitched screams. Wing, the owners of these commercial drones over Canberra, say that this is a trial and that quieter drones are on the way. They say that after each set of complaints and not much happens. High-pitch screams continue.

For most Canberrans this issue is not relevant. Yet! Wing and the ACT government have only undertaken socalled trials over a couple of suburbs.

Be assured, your neighbourhood is on the radar for potential clients and the opportunity to fly over your backyard.

We are talking about things that this government is likely to agree to because they think they are being “innovative”. Not so. They are being gullible to the extreme. Wing is not some small start-up trying it on. They are a subset of the parent company, Alphabet, who owns Google.

Why are they doing these seemingly small activities? We can only imagine what the real agenda is to having flights over neighbourhoods given this corporation’s questionable history of collecting data on anyone and everyone. The latest report being a whistleblower who called out Google for their transferring of health data on 50 million people into the larger Google data sets. Why – because that’s what they do – gather data on any of us if we are silly enough to give it away. It is this international corporation that has fooled this ACT government (easy to do) to allow these seemingly harmless screaming machines to deliver small stuff that people could very easily get themselves.

drones, then have a look at their secure bunker in Mitchell. That’s a serious commitment to be here for the long term. This is no trial – this is a serious intrusion into suburban ambience, suburban character and an attack on those things we cherish such as the bird life of Canberra. All done with the blessing of Andrew Barr and his barbarians.

There has been a load of negative feedback from residents in the suburbs that have been guinea pigs. If you read the government’s and the company’s comments you would think that there has been a take up and acceptance. No way!

als in the feedback to government. This latest “bright idea” is a step too far! Before they appear over your washing line or outside your balcony, say no to these commercial drones over Canberra!

Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.

The year we let political trust take a dive

“I’VE been studying elections for 40 years, and never have I seen such poor returns for public trust in and satisfaction with democratic institutions”.

These words of ANU professor Ian McAllister in the last month of 2019 put the year in perspective. He identified what many have been suspecting, a downward trend in public trust since 2007.

Decrease in trust has accelerated this year. Following the constant change of leadership is increased suspicion regarding the motivation and actions of elected representatives.

Examples include Labor’s $100,000 in cash in an Aldi bag, the conservatives kowtowing to the fossil-fuel industry and the antics of government minister Angus Taylor.

Scott Morrison won an “unwinnable” election promising billions in tax cuts based on a reduction in government income by $302 billion over 10 years. As I pointed out early in the year: “When there are inadequate funds in the Budget, something has to give. It is not the wealthy who suffer. Whether cuts are made to education, health, social services or the like – tax cuts invariably have the greatest impact on the poor.”

The style of election was frustrating for those who value democracy. Months out from the election it became clear that Morrison’s marketing tactics were biting and that it would not be a “lay down misere” for Labor.

The concern for voters at the time was

Trust in our politicians and parliaments is deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. Putting party politics and personal interest above community interest has been seriously damaging to our democratic institutions.

“deception, lack of vision and negativity dominate political life. Voters draw the obvious conclusion: our politicians are disparaging people who are not to be trusted”.

The challenge was who should be trusted on the economy, on border security, on health? Who should be trusted with our democracy? Those issues still resonate.

It was not until the end of the year that some progress was made for the ACT and Federal governments on the establishment of integrity commissions. It has been three long years since the promises of the last election and finally the ACT has appointed Dennis Cowdroy QC as commissioner and former NSW ICAC head, John Hoitink, as CEO of the ACT Integrity Commission.

Calls for a Federal integrity commission have found favour with former PM Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. They announced support on the ABC’s “Q&A” program.

Labor identified the capers of minister Angus Taylor as a key reason. Weeks of questioning his behaviour in the parliament did not result in resig-

nation or being stood down by the prime minister, as should have happened as part of our “responsible government” system. Trust eroded.

Instead, there was a direct phone call between the PM and the NSW police commissioner raising issues about propriety and the separation of powers, and further identifying why an integrity commission is needed. Incomprehensible decisions that disproportionately support the fossil-fuel industry, despite climate change, also highlight the need for such an investigative body.

Trust in our politicians and parliaments is deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. Putting party politics and personal interest above community interest has been seriously damaging to our democratic institutions.

A big step forward would be for political parties to more broadly work together in the community interest rather than be constantly bickering. For Canberrans, there is a high risk

that next year will take on a similar tone to 2019. The election on the third Saturday in October will test our political parties in terms of honesty, integrity and actions to address the public interest.

On the one hand, there is a tired, long, long-term government and a compliant public service (or the other way round).

On the other, the opposition as the would-be government seems hellbent on pursuing seriously conservative policies.

As the year draws to a close, the issues of integrity and trust dominate both reflections on the last year and expectations for the coming year. The last warning words come from Prof McAllister: “A little over one-in-10 Australians, 12 per cent, believe the government is run for ‘all the people’. In contrast, more than half, 56 per cent, say government is run for a ‘few big interests’. This is a wakeup call”.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.

MY SUMMER

“CityNews” arts editor Helen Musa is looking forward to…

• Lots of walks along the banks of the beautiful Queanbeyan River, from the suspension bridge to the old cemetery, full of endless variety.

• The great Musa feast of Australian-Malaysian food will involve a bunch of Canberra artists, most of them friends of my son, full of tall talk and big plans.

• A walk in the Snowy Mountains – cool air, twisted trees and wildflowers.

• Replace the depleted old soil in the gardens with new, richer earth and plant out with drought-tolerant shrubs and flowers.

• Most of all, take the time to read a pile of novels queuing up in line, and I can do that anywhere.

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Be surprised at what’s inside!

THERE’S something for the whole family to enjoy this summer at MoAD in Old Parliament House, the spiritual home of Australia’s democracy.

From fun family spaces with games and dress ups, to authentically restored heritage areas and contemporary exhibitions, MoAD offers an adventure in one iconic building.

“Step back in time to the Bob Hawke era in the restored Prime Minister’s suite or absorb history by sitting in the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers,” says marketing manager, Melissa Holcroft.

“Let our guides take you on a tour so you don’t miss a thing.”

Free building tours depart throughout the day and showcase the building’s highlights and history.

The upcoming Animal House or Ghost

Explore MoAD’s latest exhibitions at your own pace. Be moved and inspired by first-hand stories of journalists on the front line for the battle for truth in the exhibition Truth, Power and a Free Press.

You’ll see objects from Australia’s media history brought together for the first time and hear stories direct from some of Australia’s leading journalists including Joanne McCarthy, Hedley Thomas, Laura Murphy-Oates, Hamish Macdonald, Adele Ferguson and more.

You will leave moved, excited and empowered to navigate filter bubbles, fake news and the importance of trusted media sources in a healthy democracy.

Or laugh out loud at some of this year’s best political cartoons in Behind the Lines, where 2019’s politics is seen through the frame of Aussie rock music.

“You can even release your inner rockstar with dress ups and air guitar,” Melissa says.

Stop by Yours Faithfully and show the

seem redundant.

Yet rediscovering this lost art reminds us to slow down and express our inner thoughts with others. A handwritten letter can become a keepsake of cherished memories, opinions and ideas or expressed love.

“Why not write Christmas thank yous or letters to friends on vintage typewriters – and let MoAD post them for you?” Melissa says.

The kids can have even more hands-on fun joining in the free, daily, facilitated craft activities in the PlayUP exhibition.

And if your New Year’s resolution is to make some changes and have more fun, join the UPrising event on Sunday, January 12, from 9am-12pm, to meet inspiring people who are improving the world one project at a time.

“With activities for all ages in our beautiful House of Representatives and Senate courtyards, UPrising is a sensational way to start your year,” Melissa says.

Bring your imagination for hands-on activities, like crafting accessories and designing cities with recycled materials.

Enjoy the festival atmosphere, join in with the jams at our ukulele drop-in corner or make sweet music with our marimba percussionist using bespoke

water chimes.

Relax with coffee in the lounge areas and, if you just want to spend time with a good book, you can bring one from home and swap it at the street libraries in the Senate courtyard.

In between visiting all that’s on offer, sit and relax in the café or restaurant and enjoy a coffee, cold drink, snack or lunch.

“Whether you’re visiting for an hour or a day, MoAD makes you feel right at

home,” Melissa says.

“Don’t worry if you don’t get to see everything the first time – come back and visit again. You’re always welcome at MoAD.”

MoAD at Old Parliament House, 18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT. Opening hours: open daily 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day). Entry: $2 adults; $1 concessions; $5 family; children under five free.

LETTERS

What’s with the new trees in this heat?

I AM still wondering why in this horrible dry season the ACT government has planted new trees.

It makes no sense unless you have someone like the householder prepared to be a tree guardian and water the poor things. Why also have not the various dead verge gum trees been cut down? When I drop my son off in the morning I can see a number of very dead gum trees in Springvale Drive and Murranji Street in Hawker. They are not trees that have hollows just very dead gum trees. All add to the fuel load.

When I was a kid in 1967 in Ainslie the drought was unrelenting but the Department of Territories ensured the street trees were moated and a water tanker went around to ensure the trees were watered and survived.

I am happy to water the poor gum tree out front of my place with rinse water but would appreciate some of your wood chip so it has some mulch around it.

Karna O’Dea, via email

Moore needs to move on

I WAS disappointed to read Michael Moore’s comment re the failed CPRS of 2010.

His lack of acknowledgement of the Greens’ contribution to the Gillard-Milne and others Carbon Pricing Mechanism, which was instituted in 2012, represents a flawed analysis.

There seems to be a campaign to go back 10 years and blame the Greens for

everything, but they have been the only party consistently campaigning for stronger emissions reductions.

Michael Moore and others need to move on, and it would be great to see some cooperation with the Greens rather than trying to hide Labor’s lack of a substantial climate policy by blame shifting.

Kathryn Kelly, Chifley

Complain to China

I’LL try for a polite reply to Gavan A O’Brien, of Southside Weather Watch (“We’re not fear

mongers”, Letters, CN, December 12).

The world-renowned climate scientist

Stephanie Herring has said it’s technically true that climate has always been changing and that one of the most notable in recent periods was about 56 million years ago, when temperatures were about 11 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than today.

Today’s global average, for reference, runs around 60 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of a year. Back then it was probably closer to 70 or 73 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not, of course, show up on Southside Weather Watch (ACT).

When I see in “CityNews” a letter of com -

Season’s Greetings and Merry Christmas

plaint from Gavan to the Chinese president, whose country produces 30 per cent of global emissions as opposed to Australia’s 1.3 per cent, I will pay more attention.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Sense of relief and pride

I PICKED up a copy of “CityNews” yesterday after many years of walking by it.

I sat down to read it this morning and realised that your first article by Jon Stanhope (Witness J) and then the articles following (Tim Hollow, etcetera), all gave me a sense of relief and pride... that truth and relevance is not shunned here.

Thank you so very much, I will not walk past your stand in the future.

Julia Horvath, via email

[Thank you, Julia. Your kind words only inspire us to try harder - Ed.]

Call for health strategy

COLUMNIST Michael Moore (CN, December 12) points out that the ACT has a framework for a Healthy Canberra but no substance yet to fill it in. The ACT government is in the process of developing a set of wellbeing indicators and one of the domains is health. While much focus is on accessibility of clinical services, it could be that the substance of a preventive health strategy could integrate with indicators being developed.

Peter Tait, O’Connor

MY SUMMER

Canberra Raiders halfback, Sam Williams, who recently resigned with the club for 2020 says…

• I love my cricket so I can’t wait to catch some Big Bash League action at Manuka Oval. It’s short, it’s entertaining and it’s always an enjoyable evening. I’ll be cheering on the Sydney Thunder when they come to Canberra to take on the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Renegades. Go the Thunder!

• I’m from Cooma, so will be heading to the Cooma Races. It’s nice to be able to catch up with friends and family. I try not to show it, but I take my fashions on the field seriously and like to dress up for the occasion.

• Going to the open-air cinema is one of my favourite things to do in the summer. After a long hard day of training it’s nice to kick back and enjoy a movie. I love taking my wife down to watch a movie and wind down. Pre-season is long and tough so you have to enjoy yourself and switch off while you can.

• The Duxton is a great place to take friends or family for a nice relaxing meal with a quiet drink.

• I’m not as skilled as most of the other boys when I’ve got the golf sticks in my hand, however, I do like to get out to Yowani golf course and try to improve when I can.

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GOOD DAY, SUNSHINE

Vitamin boost blessed by sun

The most effective way to get vitamin D – which supports the immune system and helps build healthy bones – is from the sun, reports DANIELLE NOHRA

FROM supporting the immune system to helping build healthy bones, dietitian Clare Wolski says vitamin D is an important nutrient for a whole range of reasons.

But how can Canberrans get enough of it to reap the benefits?

Holder’s Clare, 30, who works at The Healthy Eating Hub, says the most effective way to get vitamin D is from the sun.

“There’s a low risk of vitamin D deficiency in summer. Small amounts of incidental exposure are often enough in the summer because the UV index is so high, we only need small amounts,” she says.

“If people can’t get sun exposure, particularly the elderly who can’t get out in the sun at all, and people with

exposure, which could put them at risk of melanoma, the best food source for vitamin D is oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and sardines, which all contain vitamin D3.”

When it comes to vitamin D, Clare says there are two different types: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3.

“Vitamin D3 is what our skin creates when exposed to UVB light. Vitamin D3 is also what’s needed to build healthy bones and support the immune system,” she says.

“The other is vitamin D2, which can be converted into vitamin D3 through a series of chemical interactions.”

Most of the plant sources people are recommended to eat have vitamin D2 in them. However, Clare says plants are not an efficient source of vitamin D.

For people who don’t eat meat, Clare recommends getting vitamin D3 from mushrooms, particularly if they’ve been exposed to the sunlight.

“Mushrooms do the same conversion that we do, so popping mushrooms out in the sun for a bit after buying them from the shops can help make this conversion,” says Clare, who also recommends getting vitamin D from fortified foods such as cereals and breads that have added vitamin D.

“But it’s important to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and then use fortified foods as an additional food.”

And for people with deficiencies, there is the option of vitamin D supplements but Clare says they’re not particularly effective unless someone is deficient.

“Vitamin D is quite an important

Or thopaedics ACT will be closed from 2pm on Friday 20 December 2019 and reopen at 9am on Monday 6 January 2020

A nurse-led clinic, by appointment only, will run on Friday 27 December 2019 and again on Friday 3 January 2020 to ensure optimum care of our post-operative patients

Trauma Line – 0459 343 734 monitored between 9am – 5pm 7 days a week

from food and helps the bone cells to keep more calcium and phosphate at healthy levels to help prevent bone breaks.

“It’s also really valuable in our immune function and helps our body to develop immune cells.”

Clare says vitamin D is an inducer of an antimicrobial peptide, which helps to fight viruses in the nose, throat, lungs and respiratory system.

“There’s also some evidence to suggest that vitamin D helps with brain health, gut health, weight management and diabetes. But the evidence doesn’t show how yet,” she says.

Not just beneficial for vitamin D, Clare says the sun also helps grow the nutritious fruit and vegetables that keep everyone healthy.

“Sunlight is an essential component

Don’t let the sun catch you crying, be prepared

By Danielle Nohra

WHEN it comes to preventing skin cancers and avoiding ageing skin, consultant dermatologist Dr Diana Rubel says it’s important to be prepared.

“The number one reason we see people sunburnt is because they don’t take their sunscreen with them,” says Diana, who practises at Woden Dermatology.

A lot of people say a spontaneous trip to the beach or an unexpected outing outside in the sun was when they got sunburnt, which is why Diana urges people to be prepared for the unexpected.

“It’s about creating a habit, having a sunscreen you like and having it close by all the time,” she says.

“I’m a fan of clothing because clothing doesn’t wear off. Sunscreen is not enough. If people are super keen to protect their skin then they need to wear clothes with a collar, use an umbrella, scarf and/or hat.”

For people concerned about a spot, lesion or mole, or anything out-of-theordinary on their body, Diana says make an appointment with their GP to begin with.

“Always start with your GP. They might have other GPs in that practice who they’ll

for you to go to a dermatologist,” she says.

When in doubt, Diana says it’s always worth getting any concerning spots investigated by a doctor.

Diana has spoken to people who have a melanoma on their back but they didn’t think to get it checked because it didn’t bother them and it wasn’t itching or sore, or it was just a pimple but it was there for two years.

“Things to look out for are new lesions, rapid growth, bleeding and lots of colours,” she says.

“You’d also be looking for rapidly growing spots that are often not sore but can be sore.”

To avoid skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, which is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, Diana recommends that people get to know their skin.

“We divide skin types into numbers. Type one is the worst for skin cancer and it usually affects people with light skin,” she says.

“If you have skin type one, not only do you have to be more careful in the sun but you also have to get checked more often.”

People who have had skin cancer are at risk of getting it again, too, according to Diana, who says immuno-suppressed people are also at risk because the

Long, hot summers bring health threats

MRS Jean Baalman, aged 84 years, is a long-time Canberra resident who now lives on a rural property a few hours away. She was recently admitted to hospital with minor complications caused by new medications. It didn’t help that temperatures have been rising with several very hot days and consecutive nights.

Her son Malcolm, who works in health policy in Canberra, is increasingly worried, like many others, that each year brings longer and hotter summer heat waves that impact our health and especially people like his mum.

“Heat changes your life – and can end it. I just don’t think people are aware of just how easily it can take hold, especially people with underlying medical conditions, the very young and our older people,” he said.

“My mum lives with health problems you’d expect at that age. Heat is more than debilitating, causing her to be indoors for longer. It reduces her already reduced quality of life.”

rounding regions affected by drought, relies on a relative or friend to stay connected and safe in the heat of summer.

Her son is her main carer, present most weekends.

Mr Baalman says he has been surprised at how little information there is, readily accessible and promoted about how to prevent heat stress in the face of long-predicted climate change for people like his mum.

“I don’t think many people appreciate that heat waves actually kill more people in Australia than all other natural hazards combined,” he says.

“Australia is warming up, there’s no doubt. The weather bureau has invented purple and white colours for their maps that weren’t needed a few decades ago!

We are all feeling the change but I wonder how prepared people are for the inevitable.

Heat changes your life – and can end it. I just don’t think people are aware of just how easily it can take hold.

Mrs Baalman lives alone, and like many other people in Canberra and sur-

“A few years back, a few days in January were over 40C and we generally coped, we just needed to stay indoors, drink lots, knowing it wouldn’t last. Now we experience extremes on and off from December to mid-February. Last summer in Canberra and nearby rural areas there were multiple runs of consecutive days over 40 degrees.”

Mr Baalman has taken basic advice

“Last summer in Canberra and nearby rural areas there were multiple runs of consecutive days over 40 degrees,” says Malcolm Baalman.

to ensure his mother’s home is prepared for extreme heat, including verandah shade-clothing, window coverings and the most efficient essential cooling appliances.

Prompted by his concern his organisation, the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), recently launched a new essential guide on how to reduce heat stress this summer.

The guide “Staying Safe from Heat” encourages individuals, families and communities to get informed about managing the health threat of extreme heat. It notes other groups at risk are those living with poverty and people who are physically active or work outdoors.

The PHAA publication suggests that people who are elderly or on regular

medicines should make a heatwave plan with their GP.

Other practical tips in extreme heat include to wear light, loose-fitted clothing, keep the refrigerator stocked with cool water and keep a bath full of cold water to take regular baths.

Increases in the frequency and intensity of heat waves will place greater demand on public health and emergency services in the ACT as with the rest of Australia. However, with community planning and basic health promotion, there are things people can do to build community resilience, reduce the public health burden of heat waves and save lives.

The full PHAA guide is at phaa.net.au/ documents/item/4199

“Seven Days” columnist Mike Welsh writes...

• The bulk of my summer will be spent deciding which colour to paint the house. Vatican pink and cerise are in the mix, but long shots, with battleship grey the likely outcome.

• I’ll also take some time to test ride (for the first time) some motor scooters – the Vespa type.

• Choosing a suitable name for the new puppy Santa brought. Matilda, Hawkeye and Claude are the front runners.

• It’s always an enjoyable time to be in the capital over a long, hot summer, given the joint is almost deserted. Although I must confess to enjoying the odd bout of bitching about another long, hot summer in Canberra.

• And to keep my brain active I’ll spend some time considering what I might do with the vast sums of money coming my way after January 26 when I turn 66. Should I choose to retire and draw the aged pension?

Our 30-minute circuit and caring community help build strength, improve endurance, and increase flexibility so you can live the life you deserve.

Moment

GOOD DAY, SUNSHINE / solar storms

How the sun screws with everything

By Danielle Nohra

IT sounds like the plot of a postapocalyptic movie, but if a large solar storm hit Earth it could potentially wipe out the electric grid, says ANU astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker.

“Everything will collapse as soon as electricity is out, nothing will work,” Brad says.

“The sun can really can screw with everything and we don’t think about it that way.”

According to Brad, people often only think about the sun as a thing that burns them, but it’s there and it’s active, and a solar storm is one way it can affect the Earth.

A solar storm, which is a disturbance on the sun, can emanate outward across the heliosphere, affecting the entire solar system, including Earth and its magnetosphere.

“In 1859 there was the Carrington Event – a massive solar eruption that knocked out the electrical grid,” Brad says.

“When the sun erupts, the plasma that leaves is magnetically charged, so if it hits things that are electric or magnetic, it disrupts it.

“All of the energy comes into the North and South Poles into the two points and the stronger it comes into the

Dr Brad Tucker… “We know a lot about the sun but we probably don’t know how much we can or should, given how important it is and the effect it has on life.”

poles, it starts to leak out from there.

“In 1989 a similar storm hit the North Pole and knocked out the electric grids in southern Canada.”

At the turn of the century, Brad says these huge solar storms led to a push to study the sun continuously worldwide.

Mount Stromlo, originally titled the Conservative Solar Observatory, which used to be a government department, was built to study the sun, according to Brad.

He says Mount Stromlo is still used to learn more about the sun.

“We know a lot about the sun but we probably don’t know how much we

Photo: Stuart Hay, ANU

can or should given how important it is and the effect it has on life,” he says.

In recent months, NASA was able to shed some new light on the sun when its Parker Solar Probe became the spacecraft that’s been the closest to the sun. With scientific instruments to measure the environment around the spacecraft, it completed three of 24 planned passes through never-beforeexplored parts of the sun’s atmosphere, the corona.

“The idea is to get as close as you can to it, to figure out where the solar wind comes from,” Brad says.

“If you know what’s creating this

•

•

wind and storms, you can then predict the likelihood of one and when it’ll happen.”

Brad says the questions that need to be answered are: “How do we know what the sun is doing? And how do we predict and maintain it, just as we do with any other weather system on Earth?”

He says it’s important to be able to understand solar storms just as people monitor and understand events such as storms and fires.

“At any one point something in the sun can flip and as soon as it flips it shoots out plasma and gas,” he says.

The sun, which has a minima and maxima extreme in its 11-year cycle, is currently in its minima, according to Brad, who says it’ll become more active when it moves into its more active, maxima cycle.

“But then when it’s right at the bottom of the minima, then the sun is very quiet,” he says.

“[Another storm] will happen at some point and even if a solar storm is not big enough to cause disruption on the earth, it can affect the satellites.

“People don’t realise their life is run by satellites. As soon as you live in a city, you’re way more reliable to satellites. The reason we’re a globally connected world is because satellites are connecting us.

“[And] the reason that we care about the sun is because our dependence on technology can be wiped out.”

2CC Drive host

Leon Delaney will enjoy his first Canberra summer by...

• Getting outdoors and taking a walk among the trees somewhere to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

• Catching up on some overdue reading... so many books, so little time.

• Accepting as many invitations as possible. It’s officially the party season so don’t miss out on the fun.

• Going to the movies. The new “Star Wars” movie is out.

• Listening to 2CC to keep up-to-date with everything going on in the world.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Unique gift ideas for Christmas and beyond

CHRISTMAS celebrations don’t always end on Christmas Day. Often there’s still trips to visit relatives or overdue plans with friends that can require a last-minute gift either right before or after Christmas.

This week “CityNews” speaks with locals who have shoppers covered for the entire break.

Karen’s plants grow through the drought

FULLY stocked with drought-hardy plants, Cool Country Natives in Pialligo will be open over the holiday break, says owner Karen Brien.

There are plenty of drought-hardy gift ideas, and Karen suggests Woolly Bush, NSW Christmas Bush or Grevillea (“Lady O”) as a native Christmas tree.

With a growing team of 10 knowledgeable staff, Karen says the whole team takes the time to happily talk to customers and help them with any queries.

Shoppers can find groundcovers, grasses, ferns, climbers and small-to-large shrubs and trees such as acacia, banksia, crowea, daisies, ferns and grevillea.

Cool Country Natives also stocks and propagates a range of locally endemic species to the Canberra region.

“Native plants are drought-hardy and the choice is getting bigger every year with the increase of good wholesale growers,” she says.

Karen says they give a discount to members of the Australian Native Plant Society and Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Cool Country Natives will be hosting markets in the New Year on the first Saturday of February, March, April and May.

Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666 or 0402 307275, email retail@coolcountrynatives.com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au

Everything goes in post-Christmas sale

WITH loads of new Christmas products coming in, Mike from the Christmas Emporium says everything needed for a magical and stylish Christmas is inside the shop at Gladstone Street, Fyshwick.

“Christmas trees are now on special with 25 to 30 per cent off,” says Mike.

“We have hundreds of boxes of bon bons for your Christmas table.”

Mike says the shop is unlike any other Christmas store. From Christmas trains to unique decorations to hang on walls and ceilings, last minute Christmas shoppers will enjoy picking up a beautiful item for their home. And for those ready for a bargain, the Christmas Emporium’s post-Christmas clearance sale will commence from Friday, December 27.

Mike says every item will be 50 per cent off until it’s all sold.

Christmas Emporium at Hang Ups, 72 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick. Email info@ hangups.com.au or call 6280 0312.

Grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees suitable for cool climate gardens available year round. A large range of unusual grafted plants and bush food plants also available. Expert staff happy to advise or answer questions.

Electric scooters make commuting easy

ELECTRIC scooters are ideal for commuting or for getting to and from the light rail stops, says owner of Cookies Cycles, David Cook.

“Electric scooters will be allowed in public spaces in Canberra by Christmas, so it’s a great time to come in and see the range we have in stock,” says David, who has several brands available to suit children and adults.

“[We have electric scooter brands such as] Razor, Globber, Shogun, Mearth and Xiaomi, [with a] starting price of $279 for kids and $550 for adults.”

And, because some can go as far as 40km, David says an electric scooter is a great way to commute and reduce pollution and noise.

For people looking for other things

on wheels, Cookies Cycles stocks everything from balance bikes and three-wheel scooters for the little ones, up to larger scooters to skateboards, mountain bikes, electric bikes and road bikes, BMX bikes for the racer as well as street and park riders.

“We’ve got folding electric bikes, low step and flat bar, and kits that you can use to convert your current bike into an electric bike,” says David. He says they also have a large range of parts and accessories for all the products they sell.

Cookies Cycles, 227 Flemington Road, Franklin. Call 6242 0338, email shop@ cookiescycles.com.au or visit cookiescycles.com.au

Lane, Christine Lund.

“Vintage cutlery, glassware and china look wonderful on the festive table and can make great gifts too,” she says.

Located in Fyshwick, Christine says the family-run collectables store has Royal Doulton dinnerware sets in at the moment, which are perfect for adding that extra special twist to a festive gathering.

It also sells other collectables such as kitchenalia, linen, lamps, pictures, mirrors, glass, silver, crystal, china, cameras, tools and radios, as well as furniture, clothes, jewellery, accessories, books and toys.

“We specialise in secondhand

antiques that are usable as well as beautiful and unique,” she says.

“We also stock good quality new items that are useful or decorative.”

Christine says she grew up with her aunts having antique stores so it’s something she has always loved.

“It you’re downsizing, moving or cleaning up, and you have anything suitable, please give us a call,” Christine says.

“We can also make house calls.”

She says the store will be open every day until Christmas Eve, and will only close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Down Memory Lane, 34 Geelong Street, Fyshwick. Call 6228 1048 or visit downmemorylane.net.au

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Art of the political cartoon takes to the road

By Helen Musa

WITH the theme of “The Greatest Hits Tour”, this year’s “Behind the Lines” exhibition took the year’s best political cartoons from sideshow alley and out on tour to the wider Australian public, where the pub test is still a valid way of judging our country’s leaders.

It’s hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this enormous show, but it does have a serious side, as director of the Museum of Australian Democracy which hosts the exhibition, Daryl Karp, has been quick to point out.

“We are in a perfect storm,” Karp said, echoing her recent words at the opening of MoAD’s companion exhibition, “Truth, Power and a Free Press”.

And while, in her view, our political cartoonists are “one of democracy’s greatest weapons”, the increasing use of freelancers as opposed to staffers suggested an assault on their ability to comment.

MoAD curator Jennifer Forest has divided this year’s show of work by 30 cartoonists into discrete sections.

“Battle of the Bands“ (the election campaign) is a prelude to the main body of the show, which gets into swing in the section “Back by Popular Demand,” dealing with the miraculous re-election of the Coalition with Scott Morrison as Prime Minister.

Cartoonists are rarely devout and Chris “Roy” Taylor’s “The Miracle Formula” for the Melbourne “Herald Sun” satirises Morrison and hints at divine intervention in the result, while more locally David Pope’s depiction of another kind of intervention in “Clive Palmer‘s Return on Investment”, is almost deliberately gross.

The “Changing Tunes” of the Australian political landscape as one departure followed another is symbolically characterised by cartoonist David Rowe’s larger-than-life red shoes of departing foreign minister Julie Bishop.

Overseas targets are there, too, with Donald Trump, the Hong Kong riots, and a zany depiction of Boris Johnson as Guy Fawkes by Alan Moir in “Boris Blows up Parliament”.

This year’s cartoons occasionally take a sombre turn, in keeping with the times, seen in Jos Valdman’s comment on the Christchurch massacre, “United in Grief” and a cartoon from 1983 by William Ellis Green showing the late Bob Hawke sitting on the letterbox at the country property of former PM Malcolm Fraser.

Comment on the environment proves fertile ground for caricature, with the section “Great Southern Land ” taking a look at the Murray Darling Basin, environmental activism and the decline of the Barrier Reef.

As the exhibit heads off on its grand Aussie tour, members of the general public are not immune from attack, with Chris Downes showing the entire nation obsessively glued to their devices.

Hobart cartoonist Jon Kudelka was presented with the Australian Cartoonists Association’s Gold Stanley award for Cartoonist of the Year at the 35th annual Stanley Awards, timed to coincide with the “Behind the Lines” opening.

Kudelka was on hand to receive a cheque for $5000 and make some sage observations. After bemoaning the cartoonist’s duty to battle deadlines and produce, daily, “a very

public piece of art”, he declined to identify a coherent narrative in the year’s

“Someone else has curated our work and it’s nice to see, but if anything needs to be explained, the cartoon’s failed,” he said.

“Behind the Lines: The year’s best political cartoons”. Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House.

What the arts editor enjoyed most this year

Arts editor HELEN MUSA’s five top arts happenings in visual art, musical theatre, music, theatre and dance for 2019 are uncomfortable and thought-provoking.

ALL the year’s most exciting works were at the uncomfortable end of the spectrum, and all but one took place in September. Whether it was a musical commentary on gun violence, a dance work about money or an exhibition that overturned exoticised views of our biggest northern neighbour, all required attention – and a bit of thinking.

Uji “Hahan” Handoko Eko Saputro and Adi “Uma Gumma” Kusuma, “Silent Operation” neon sign study based on the formula of contemporary visual art, 201819, “Contemporary Worlds: Indonesia”, NGA.

Visual art: “Contemporary Worlds: Indonesia”, NGA, June-October. Past and present, sound and silence came together in the biggest and most radical exhibition of contemporary Indonesian art ever seen in Australia. It cut through conventional notions of beautiful exotic art to present us with a picture of a nation in transition.

Music: Larry Sitsky celebration concert, ANU School of Music, September.

Co-directors Kelly Roberts and Grant Pegg took the book of the Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical, “Assassins”, and gave us a sideshow-alley portrayal of the men and women who attempted, successfully and otherwise, to assassinate US presidents, producing brilliant cameo portrayals, spot-on musicianship and a deeply uncomfortable feeling about the here and now.

In an inspiring evening of music, eminent musicians and well-wishers packed into the Larry Sitsky Recital Room at the ANU School of Music to celebrate the 85th birthday of Sitsky himself, now recognised around the world for his compositions and honoured later in September with a long weekend of musical festivities by the Moscow Conservatory. The pièce de résistance was Sitsky’s own performance of work by Rachmaninov.

Theatre: “Metamorphosis” at The Street Theatre, September.

Director Adam Broinowski and a team of actors gifted in physical theatre brought to life Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Franz Kafka’s famous novella, “The Metamorphosis”, where an ordinary salesman turns into a “monstrous vermin”. This provocative production took us up close and personal to an evening of superlative acting.

Dance: “From the Vault”, the Australian Dance Party, Dairy Flat, September. Dance artist Alison Plevey’s discovery of a disused building in Fyshwick that had once been a storage bunker for the Mint led to a sizzling evening of site-specific dance that questioned the value placed on money and was praised by critics and audience members alike as the dance event of the year.

Meals that tickled the tastebuds of the dining reviewer

One of Canberra’s most experienced food critics, ‘CityNews’ dining reviewer

WENDY JOHNSON top five eateries for 2019

MY 2019 culinary journey began with big indigestion at several “hmmm” eateries (a couple have closed). Fortunately, the year ended with some incredible food… so much so that it was tough to pick my annual top five. Here they are, in no special order. Remember that menus may have changed since my visit.

AS I wrote about White Chaco in Braddon, “don’t blink or you’ll miss it”. This petite venue dishes up big flavours with flair. The simple seared salmon sashimi ($18.90) was sensational. The crunchy, smoked popcorn chicken ($11.90) was fun, beautifully spiced and not at all greasy. Also huge on taste was the Sichuan bao ($13.90), created with slow-cooked beef, chili mayo, Chinese fritter, spring onion and spiced beans. We worshipped every dish.

IN Yarralumla, Lamshed’s food is amazing. Be prepared to share and let your tastebuds dance. Dishes celebrate sea sonal produce and on our first visit we were delighted with the beetroot tartare with apple and walnut ($16) – a tantalising start to our meal. The eggplant

is another winning dish ($15), with light tempura and white miso paste. We don’t normally order dessert but have twice indulged in the dark-chocolate tart with fresh milk sorbet ($15).

FOR more casual dining, visit Braddon’s The Italian Place This true trattoria is also part deli so you can shop after din ing. The pork fennel sausage with braised cannellini beans and baby spinach is amazing and specially made by a local butcher to a secret recipe ($16 for small). All pasta is made on site and if the rigatoni with pork neck ragu and shaved parmesan ($26) is on the menu, order it!

is the go. The specials board included divine prawn wontons with lap cheong and black vinegar (five for $28). The steak tartare looked fabulous and we delighted in mixing the egg in and scooping the meat up with crispy crisps ($20). There’s plenty of noise when Rochford is packed, but you are eating in a bar.

THE city’s multiple awardwinning Bar Rochford a big tick. It’s no wonder it’s picked up a hat in the “Good Food Guide” and has been ranked as one of Australia’s top bars. Once again, sharing

IN historic Yass, we celebrated Clementine, the valley’s first-hatted restaurant –quality modern dining with predominantly French and Italian influences. Dishes to start are $10, entrees $21 and mains $33. The vitello tonnato entrée was a generous serve and the veal rump (slow-cooked) super tender. The delicate zucchini flowers were filled with creamy ricotta and smoked mozzarella. Top marks were given for all mains, which included a fish stew, a pasta and a roasted lamb rump.

My reviews begin again mid-February. In the meantime, merry

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ARTS IN THE CITY

Father and son into the spotlight

HONEST Puck Theatre presents the Roald Dahl classic, “Danny The Champion of the World”, with James Scott, the artistic director of Honest Puck, playing the dad, and his son, Leo Scott, making his professional debut as Danny. The play, adapted for the stage by David Wood, tells the story of Danny and his dad, who live in a gypsy caravan behind the service station they own. At the Perform Australia Theatre, 11 Whyalla Street, Fyshwick, January 10-17. Book at honestpuck.com.au

ANOTHER adaptation, this time from Kenneth Grahame’s “The Wind In The Willows” will see Glenn Elston returning to Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden for the 17th consecutive year with his brand of interactive theatre. January 4-26. Book at willowslive.com.au or 9011 7704.

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0481 185 205 | nbdc.org.au

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QUEANBEYAN-Palerang Regional Council has announced the recipients of the Special Heritage Fund for 2019-20. They include: St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church and the War Memorial Hall, Hoskinstown; St Mary’s Church, Bungendore: the Anglican Hall, Braidwood; Queanbeyan’s Masonic Building and St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church.

sundayROAST

Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program. It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.

Be part of the conversation and call 6255 1206 between 10am and noon.

THE Opera Gala at the Sydney Opera House on New Year’s Eve promises to be bigger and better with top singers directed by Miranda Summers, fireworks during the interval and a midnight party in the Northern Foyers of the Opera House. Book at opera.org.au

CANBERRA’S Young Music Society celebrates its 51st annual summer music school during the January school holidays, with five concurrent programs for young people between five and 18 in everything from saxophone to double bass, classical to

popular, song writing, Javanese gamelan, concert composition, dance, jazz vocals and making music videos. Book at youngmusicsociety.org.au

“FIRST Seen” at The Street Theatre is a season that takes new theatre works on the journey from conception to production. Projects are selected for development on their intrinsic merit, the imaginative reach of the writing or vision and the distinctive voice and commitment of the playwright/creator. Registrations are open until January 27 at thestreet.org.au or email media@ thestreet.org.au

Hardy cistus a comforting sight GARDENING / the drought

CISTUS is the perfect droughtresistant plant with large, fragrant flowers in early summer.

It grows wild around the hills of the Mediter ranean and when in flower, was said to give comfort to soldiers during World War I. It would seem that returning soldiers brought seeds or cuttings back to Australia with them and planted them in their home gardens.

It may be the wrong time of year for Gallipoli stories, but cistus is in flower now, not around Anzac Day, so I want to bring attention to it at this time of year.

Cistus salviifolius, or white rock rose, was named “Gallipoli Rose” several years ago. It was propagated by Yarralumla Nursery and released at Floriade.

This extract from “Gallipoli Peninsula” by renowned NZ poet Alistair Te Ariki Campbell (1925-2009) refers in particular to Cistus salviifolius: “It was magical when flowers appeared on the upper reaches – not that we saw much of the upper reaches. But when we did, we were reminded of home when spring clothed the hills with flowers. The dead lying among them seemed to be asleep.”

Cistus flowers resemble oldfashioned roses,

Cistus “Gallipoli Rose” is the perfect drought-resistant plant.

grown before 1928, though cistus is not related to the rose family. Its Mediterranean background makes it extremely drought hardy and, interestingly, it also regrows quickly after fires, a frequent occurrence in Greece and Turkey.

Another remarkable aspect of cistus is that in the late evening it drops all its petals only to be in full flower again the next day.

It can be pruned hard after flowering to increase floral abundance the following year.

There are numerous other rock roses, including Cistus x pulverulentus “Sunset” with deep pink flowers, and “Nightfall” with mauve flowers.

ROSEMARY has been used for millennia by the Romans and Greeks for its herbal, medicinal and culinary qualities. Like cistus, Rosmarinus

IN our current drought, any plant that has a chance of survival with a minimum amount of water is welcome in the home garden. How does one tell if a plant is drought resistant? Simply look at the leaves. The smaller they are, the more hardy the plant. Lavender is a good example, with leaves about the same size as rosemary. It simply means the transpiration is considerably less, plus the leaves won’t burn in the relentless heat.

CONSIDERING the predicted long hot summer, I suggest not buying any new plants until autumn. This may not be popular in some quarters, but buying plants now could be a waste of money as chances of their survival are slim.

Chris’ Trees

• Tree pruning

• Tree removal

• Hedge trimming

• Hedge lowering

“Quoting hundreds, not thousands” $60p/h $200

• Garden revamps

• Retaining walls

Text or call 0468 695 561 Email cgsact@gmail.com Find me on gumtree.com.au

JUMBO CROSSWORD

PUZZLES PAGE

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

When it comes to Yuletide preparations, everyone wants to be in charge. Smart Rams will diplomatically delegate and let others initiate proceedings and share the load – for a change. Thursday’s Solar Eclipse suggests positive changes are brewing at work in 2020. Plus Jupiter sends professional luck and auspicious opportunities in your direction. So make sure you spend time formulating some fabulous goals (and writing them down) for the New Year and beyond!

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Christmas Day finds most Taureans in a terrifically festive mood, as you let your hair down and enjoy the Yuletide revelry. But, if you eat and drink too much, you’ll be a grumpy Bull on Boxing Day! This week the Solar Eclipse, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and Mercury are all moving through your travel and adventure zone. So you need to start planning a trip or a new course of study, as you prepare to explore fresh pastures (mentally and physically) in 2020.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Sociable Geminis love to party and celebrate in style! So you’re in the mood for an extra magical and fun-filled festive season. This week’s Solar Eclipse emphasises rebirth and transformation so don’t forget to make an extra special wish on Christmas Day, that will transport you into exciting new territory in 2020. Your Christmas mantra is from birthday great, legendary writer Henry Miller: “One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

Clannish Cancer - you’re the sentimental keeper of the family flame, so be proactive about gathering the tribe together over the coming week. But there’s no getting away from intense interactions with recalcitrant relatives, as the Solar Eclipse revs up your relationship zone. Don’t be bossy and labour under the delusion that you can handle everything on your own! Delegating festive preparations (in a calm way) is the secret to a cool Yule for clever Crabs.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Have you still got a heap of Christmas shopping to do? It’s time for lively Lions to look for gorgeous last-minute gifts that are colourful and creative. You certainly love the social side of Yuletide celebrations. Just make sure you’re pulling your weight (with festive preparations and cleaning up) otherwise you’ll be in the bad books on Boxing Day! Friday is one of your luckiest days of the year, when the Sun (your ruler) links up with prosperity planet Jupiter.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Avoid being overly controlling, as you rush around trying to organise everything (and everyone). Slow down and enjoy the festive spirit of this special week. You’re the sensible soul of the zodiac so it’s up to you to handle Christmas celebrations (and misunderstandings) with veritable Virgo composure and style. Be smart enough to rise above silly family squabbles! Thursday’s Solar Eclipse signals a fresh start involving a child, teenager, lover or friend.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

With Venus in your party zone, Christmas Eve looks fabulous as you socialise with close friends and enjoy convivial conversation. Then the Solar Eclipse stirs up your domestic zone so additional tact is required mid-week, otherwise you could find yourself in the middle of a family feud. Do your best to help loved ones enjoy the Yuletide celebrations in a pleasant and peaceful way! When it comes to last minute gift shopping, look for presents that are fun and festive.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Mars is in Scorpio, so a strategic approach is the key to successful Christmas preparations. If you plan carefully and prioritise, then you’ll get everything done without too much unnecessary stress. But choose your words wisely, as the Solar Eclipse stimulates your communication zone. If you’re not careful, you could blurt out the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time! For some Scorps, a romantic relationship heads off in a surprising new direction.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Party-loving Sagittarians are in the mood for some fabulous festive fun, and you’re likely to overdo the Christmas cheer (again!) especially eating and drinking. If you slow down and pace yourself, then you’ll enjoy the celebrations even more. You’re also keen to bag some bargains at the post-Christmas sales but (with impulsive, extravagant Jupiter charging through your money zone) make sure you stay away from tempting buy now/pay later schemes.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Keep things in perspective this Christmas. If you prioritise tasks, then you’ll get things done without too much stress. When it comes to loved ones, expect the unexpected. Whatever you think they will do, they’re likely to turn around and do the complete opposite. So be flexible and try to have some fun. Your motto is from Quentin Crisp (who was born on Xmas Day): “Treat all disasters as if they were trivialities, but never treat a triviality as if it were a disaster.”

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

With Venus visiting your sign, you’re in a festive frame of mind as you let your hair down and enjoy the Yuletide celebrations. For restless Aquarians, variety is the spice of life so the stars encourage you to balance being social with some quiet solo time where you can reflect on your goals for 2020. And avoid being a reckless Aquarian! The Solar Eclipse increases your unpredictable side, so try to relax and calm down or you’ll be worn out before the week is over.

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

You’re in the mood for plenty of Yuletide cheer and holiday high jinks! Just make sure you pace yourself Pisces; then you’ll get through the celebrations without feeling totally exhausted by the end of the week. Venus also highlights your helpful humanitarian side. So your motto is from singer-songwriter-activist Annie Lennox (who was born on Christmas Day): “Ask yourself – ‘Have I been kind today?’ Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.”

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2019

General knowledge crossword No. 716

Across

3 Which horse won the 1998 Melbourne Cup? (8)

7 Name a particular savoury custard tart. (6)

8 Which band of tissue serves to connect bones, and hold organs in place? (8)

9 What is a roll of parchment with writing on it? (6)

10 Which other term describes one who practises deception under an assumed name? (8)

11 What do we call vagabonds? (6)

14 What is gasoline known as in Australia? (6)

17 Which word describes a slaughterhouse? (8)

18 What is a delicate piece of food called? (6)

19 What is a body of troops stationed in a fortified place? (8)

20 To be weirder, is to be what? (6)

21 Name a division of an academic year. (8)

Down

1 Which retailer deals in meat? (7)

2 What is a word formed from the initial letters of other words? (7)

3 What, in the US, do they call thin jams? (7)

4 Name a univalve, marine mollusc. (7)

5 Which expression describes a voter? (7)

6 To be matter-of-fact, or prosaic, is to be what? (7)

11 What might the authorities use to quell rioting mobs? (4,3)

12 What is the transposition of the letters of a word or sentence to form a new word or sentence? (7)

13 Which colloquial term describes scapegoats? (7)

14 What is an associate known as? (7)

15 What are offers also called? (7)

16 Which person holds a commission in the armed forces? (7)

Ian had just discovered that he could access his Public Sector Superannuation Scheme pension, but was unsure whether to or not. Wracked with indecision, he came to see me.

"Let’s have a look at everything and then we can work out the best options for you," I told him.

"You have a deferred pension in PSS that will provide a pension of $20,000 a year. You have just passed preservation age and you are 58.

"You also have about $200,000 in PSS which is a post-1995 transfer amount. This cannot be converted to a pension and must be compulsorily preserved.

"I also understand that you and your partner run a restaurant in partnership and that you also own some investment properties jointly.”

"And there's the issue: when you are 58, in order to draw a lump sum, you need to satisfy a condition of release, which is that you have permanently retired from the workforce and do not intend to work again.

"Permanently retired means that you are gainfully employed for less than 10 hours a week ongoing. The fact that you are a working partner in the restaurant precludes you taking this lump sum or any part of it at the moment.”

Ian said that, if it made any difference, the partnership was thinking of selling the restaurant and retiring from the industry.

I said that yes, it would, after age 60.

In looking at the tax side, I told Ian there were three components to his superannuation: tax free, taxable taxed and taxable untaxed.

"In the case of your pension, $500 is a tax-free component," I said. "There is a taxable taxed component of $2000. This is taxed at your marginal rate, currently 34.5 per cent including Medicare levy less 15 per cent tax offset until you reach the age of 60 when it is not subject to tax.

"There is also a $17,500 taxable untaxed component. This will also be taxed at 34.5 per cent, but when you reach 60 you will also get a 10 per cent tax offset.

"So before 60 your fortnightly pension will be about $770 gross with tax of around $250. Over 60, the tax will reduce to about $165. So you will be $85 better off."

I then explained to Ian the preservation rules.

"All superannuation is preserved until you reach 65 unless you retire earlier," I said.

"We have looked at the situation when you retire under age 60. If you sell the restaurant between 60 and 65 and you are working for less than 10 hours per week then you have retired and you can draw on the compulsorily preserved lump sum or turn it into a pension.

"Before you start drawing the PSS pension you have to roll over the lump sum into another fund. You have another suitable fund, so the lump sum can be rolled over into that fund.”

"Your superannuation fund balances are not close to the maxima so you can put $25,000 as a tax deduction into your superannuation fund every year until you are age 65.

"You can also put in $100,000 a year and possibly three years in one go, but we need to discuss this further. You should start to draw the PSS pension as soon as you can.”

Ian left, questions answered, and off to fill in his PSS forms.

If you have questions about retirement and superannuation contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 6295 2844.

Disclaimer

This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser.